City takes over 3 main street Oak Ridge Roads

Monday

Nov 20, 2017 at 8:07 PM

City Council voted unanimously Monday to receive three formerly private roads that go through the Main Street Oak Ridge development, which will mean the city will have to maintain the roads: Wilson Street, Main Street East and Main Street West.

Ben Pounds Staff Reporter

City Council voted unanimously Monday to receive three formerly private roads that go through the Main Street Oak Ridge development, which will mean the city will have to maintain the roads: Wilson Street, Main Street East and Main Street West.

As shown on a map provided by Oak Ridge Public Works Department, Wilson Street is the street which connects Rutgers Avenue to South Tulane Avenue. It includes 1,821 linear feet of pavement, according to a handout provided by City Clerk Beth Hickman. Wilson Street passes Kumé Japanese on the Rutgers Avenue side and El Cantarito Mexican Restaurant on the Tulane side.

Main Street East includes 460 linear feet of pavement and connects Wilson Street to Oak Ridge Turnpike. It passes CVS Pharmacy.

Main Street West includes 435 linear feet of pavement and also connects Wilson Street to Oak Ridge Turnpike. It passes Starbucks.

As stated both on the handout and on a report included in City Council's agenda, the city is now also responsible for sidewalks, extended curbs, water lines, sanitary sewers, storm drainage and electric lines in the right of way of these roads.

City Manager Mark Watson told Council these roads are the only roads the city will acquire in connection to the Main Street Oak Ridge development. He said, however, that the city already owns some of the entryway off of South Illinois Avenue, known as East Tulsa Avenue, but there was “confusion” over responsibility for utilities there.

Main Street Oak Ridge is located on the former Oak Ridge Mall site.

While the city is now responsible for the roads, the Main Street Oak Ridge owner and developer — Greenville, S.C.-based RealtyLink — worked to make repairs and improvements to the roads and infrastructure before transferring them to the city, Watson said. The repairs, as stated in reports from Watson and RealtyLink manager Phillip J. Wilson, cost more than $1.8 million. The city will reportedly pay $1 million and the Oak Ridge Industrial Development Board $500,000. The IDB is a non-profit public corporation that oversees various projects to promote business in Oak Ridge.

Shira McWaters, Public Works director, said the utilities for the area of the future Mariott Hotel are not part of the deal. The hotel is being constructed near Kumé Restaurant.

Call Ben Pounds at (865) 220-5502 and follow him on Twitter @Bpoundsjournal.

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